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Northern District

1900 - Northern District History - Today in Baltimore Police History 1900 - The Northern District was first opened at Keswick and 34th Street (Cedar & Second Streets) on 1 Feb 1900 at 8 am ran by Capt. Gittings, Lieutenants Henry, and Dempsey; Round Sergeants will be, Warden for Day Duty, and Moxley for Night Duty. At the time they began with 50 officers. It remained at the Keswick location until 2001 when it moved to its current location at 2201 W Coldspring Lane. The following article from the Baltimore sun dated 1 Feb 1900 entitled NEW POLICE DISTRICTS

POLICE DISTRICTSThe Sun (1837-1987); Aug 30, 1899;pg. 10

An Arrangement of New Boundary Lines Completed

Western will be enlarged and include Camden station – plan to be effective about 1 November 1900

POLICE DISTRICTS

New police district Northern is the largest considerable work will be required before everything gets to working smoothly.

The police Commissioner yesterday issued an order that the new northern district will be opened at 8 o’clock this morning on February 1900 and that the same time the changes in the boundary lines of all the old districts shall go into effect. These changes were made by the board last August.

Capt. Gittings will take charge of the new district this morning, will make a short address to the members of the force under him and will begin arranging divisions and squads, assigning sergeants and laying out posts for patrolmen. Lieutenants Henry and Dempsey will also begin their duties in the new district. Of the round sergeants, Capt. getting will probably assign ward to day duty and Moxley tonight duty. For the present, there will be 50 patrolmen in the district.

Clark Ford, of the Western district, has been transferred to the new district, and William R. Wonderly, the newly appointed clerk, will succeed him at the Western.

The board yesterday appointed and assigned the following probationary patrolman: Clarence W. Bowl, of Baltimore County to the central district James J. Dempsey 1500 Guilford Ave. to the Central District Thomas S Hannemann for 20 N. Exeter to the central district Harry C. Wingate, 437 S. Gilmore St., Northwestern Walter M. James, Allegheny County Central; William T Rector 1529 Ramsey St. will go to Western district, Harry P Schamburg are 1200 block of Argyle Avenue will go to Northwestern Wingate was formally a watchman at Camden station, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

In changing boundary lines of the seven old districts the members of the force working in the section taken from one district and added to another will be transferred with the section to the district to which it is added. Considerable work will be required to change the connections of patrol telephone boxes that are transferred from one district to another. At present, the boxes in each district are connected with the station house according to the old boundary lines, and Marshal Hamilton said yesterday that it will take a few months to get everything changed and in good working order. The connection of the telephone boxes transferred will have to be cut out from all one district and connected with another, according to Hamilton. Until this is done men will have to make calls to their new station houses by way of their former station

The new boundary lines, which were announced in the sun August 30 last are as follows:

EASTERN DISTRICT STATIONHOUSE – Bank Street near Broadway Northeastern District stationhouse corner of Cedar and Second Avenue. Western District stationhouse Pine Street near Lexington Street. Northwestern District stationhouse corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Lombard Street. Southern District stationhouse corner Patapsco and Ostend Streets. Southwestern District stationhouse corner of Pratt and Calhoun.

NORTHERN DISTRICT STATIONHOUSE – Corner Cedar and second Avenue boundary begins at the intersection of Hillen road and northern city limits, runs along the west side of the Hillen road to the Harford road then along the Northwest side of the Harford road to Jackson Street then along the northeast side of Jackson Street to Taylor Avenue then along the west side of Taylor Street to Gore’s a job in L then along the north side of Gorsuch Avenue to Montebello Avenue the along the west side of Montebello of the no 22nd St. then along the north side of 22nd St. to York road then along the west side of York Road to North Avenue that along North Avenue side of North Avenue the Pennsylvania Avenue then along the northeast side of Pennsylvania Avenue to liberty road that along the northeast side of liberty road to the Western city limit that along the Western city limit to northern city limits that along the northern city limits to the place of beginning.

CENTRAL DISTRICT STATIONHOUSE – North Street near Lexington Street. The boundary begins at the intersection of Greenmount and North Avenue runs then along the west side of Greenmount Avenue to Fourth Street then along the west side of four Street to Orleans Street that along the south side of Orleans Street to Asquith Street then along the west side of Asquith Street to Baltimore Street along the north side of Baltimore Street to Jones falls then along the west side of the Jones falls to waterfront then along the waterfront to Pratt Street and light Street then along the north side of Pratt Street to Howard Street along the east side of Howard Street to liberty Street then along the east side of Liberty Street to Park Avenue along the east side of Park Avenue to Preston Street then along the south side of Preston Street to Maryland Avenue along the east side of Marilyn Avenue to the Jones falls then along the east side of the Jones falls to North Avenue then along the south side of North Avenue to the place of beginning.

WESTERN DISTRICT STATIONHOUSE – Pine Street near Lexington Street the boundary begins at the intersection of Park Avenue in Franklin Street runs then along the west side of Park Avenue to Liberty Street, then along the west side of Liberty Street to Howard Street that along the west side of Howard Street to Barre Street then along the north side of Barre Street to Ridgely Avenue along the west side of Ridgely Avenue to Baltimore and Ohio oh railroad crossing the along the Baltimore and Ohio railroad crossing to Scott Street along the east side of Scott Street to Pratt Street then along the north side of Pratt Street to Schroeder Street along the east side of Schroeder to Franklin Street along the south side of Franklin Street to the place of beginning.

NORTHWESTERN DISTRICT STATIONHOUSE – Corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Lambert Street. The boundary begins at the intersection of Park Avenue in Franklin Street runs along the west side of Park Avenue to Preston Street then along the north side of Preston Street to Maryland Avenue along the west side of Marilyn Avenue to Jones falls that along the west side of the Jones falls to North Avenue that along the south side of North Avenue the Pennsylvania Avenue along the Southwest side of Pennsylvania Avenue to liberty road then along the southwest side of liberty road to the Western city limit along the Western city limits to Edmondson Avenue that along the north side of Edmondson Avenue to Baltimore and Potomac railroad tracks, then along the east side of the Baltimore and Potomac railroad tracks to Franklin Street along the north side of Franklin Street to the place of beginning.

SOUTHERN DISTRICT STATIONHOUSE – Corner of Patapsco in Ostend streets. The boundaries begin at the intersection of light and Pratt Street run then along the south side of Pratt Street to Howard Street then along the east side of Howard Street to Barre Street then along the south side of Barre Street to Ridgely Street then along the east side of Ridgely Street to Gwynn’s Falls that along the Gwynn’s Falls to the waterfront that along the waterfront to the place of beginning.

SOUTHWESTERN DISTRICT STATIONHOUSE – Corner of Pratt Street and Calhoun streets. The boundary begins at the intersection of Schroeder and Franklin streets, runs then along the south side of Franklin Street to the Baltimore and Potomac railroad tracks, then along the west side of the Baltimore and Potomac railroad tracks to Edmondson Avenue then along the south side of Edmondson Avenue to the Western city limits thence along the Western city limits to the southern city limits along the southern city limits to the Gwynns falls then along the Gwynns falls to Ridgely Street along the Northwest side of Ridgely Street to the Baltimore Ohio railroad tracks that along the Baltimore Ohio railroad tracks to Scott Street along the west side of Scott Street to Pratt Street then along the south side of Pratt Street to Schroeder Street along the west side of Schroeder Street to the place of beginning.

“We have tried to divide the districts to said they will work to the best possible advantage with a small force we have,” said the president had injured yesterday. “We need about 300 more men on the force and will have to get along as best we can until the next legislature meeting. There only 750 men on our force, while Boston a city nearly the same sizes Baltimore has over 1400.”

The Northern District boasts 52 recognized neighborhoods with over 70 active community associations. The district is home to the world-renowned Johns Hopkins University Homewood Campus. Other higher learning institutions located within the district include Loyola and the College of Notre Dame.

Neighborhood Resources

The Northern District stationhouse is the newest of the city’s nine district stationhouses, having been completed in July of 2001 and located at 2201 West Coldspring Lane. The district has 52 recognized neighborhoods with over 70 active community associations. The district is home to the world-renowned Johns Hopkins University Homewood Campus. Other higher learning institutions located within the district include Loyola College and the College of Notre Dame. The Northern District is also home to many high-quality public and private grade schools. Those institutions and organizations, combined with the quiet urban neighborhoods, have attracted and retained residents from many parts of the country and the world.

Officer John Knickman 22yrs. old assigned to the Northern District where he received one commendation He would later be transferred to Detectives Division under Captain George Mentiens where he would serve in the then, newly formed, "Auto Squad" where he would remain until leaving the department in November 1963.
Courtesy Former P/O John Knickman Jr.

Officer John L. Knickman Sr. is seen in this picture which was taken in the 1920s at 3359 Beech Ave. behind the Old Northern District. John L Knickman Sr. used to drive a Police Dept. Inspector by the name of John J. Santry
Courtesy Former P/O John Knickman Jr.

Back then they had 5 bailiwicks in the Northern District. Each had a two-man car 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 Balwick #4 had two one man cars they were called Northern 4, and Northern 5, Bailiwick 5, had a one-man car #6, Officer Knickman was car #4 and patroled Woodberry and parts of lower Park Hgts. # 5 was Upper Park Hgts, and Pimlico, #6 car was in Roland Park and the call letters were KGA410 [ Northern 4 - Northern 4 ] #7 car in Bailiwick #5 who patrolled Homeland Upper Charles St.

Courtesy Wiliam Davis

Courtesy Wiliam Davis

Courtesy Wiliam Davis

Courtesy Wiliam Davis

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